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LEARNING TO BE A 
SCHOOLMASTER 



BY 

THOMAS R. COLE 

u 

Superintendent of Schools, Seattle 

Formerly Assistant State Superintendent of Schools, 

Village School Superintendent, and City High School Principal 



NEW YORK 

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

1922 

All rights reserved. 






Copyright, 1922, 
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. 



Set up and electrotyped. Published August, 1922. 



m 23 !922 



©CI.A681486 






^ 



FOREWORD 

In ''Learning to be a Schoolmaster" the 
author has related some of his personal experi- 
ences, which he trusts will be suggestive to 
those who are just entering the teaching pro- 
fession. 



Table of Contents 

PAGE 

I. Entering the Teaching Profession . . 1 

II. Getting a Position 7 

III. Before School Opens — After Getting 

the First Superintendency . . . . 13 

IV. Teachers' Meetings 17 

V. Meeting with the School Board . . 22 

VI. School Activities 28 

VII. The Janitor — His Relation to the School 39 

VIII. How the Principal Can Help the 

Teacher 44 

IX. The School and the Community . . 56 



ENTERING THE TEACHING 
PROFESSION 

1ITTLE did I think, during my college days, 
^ that I should ever become a teacher. It 
would have made me unpopular to have said so, 
even if I had had any designs in that direction. 
My college mates, who were planning to be 
lawyers, engineers, or commercial men of prom- 
inence, considered teaching creditable only as a 
*'fill in job." I joined them in their happy 
aspirations and tried to think I was preparing 
for something. Just what that ''something" 
was, I was unable to say. 

Finally the day of graduation arrived. I was 
ready to go out into the world with a college 
diploma, but was unprepared for a definite posi- 
tion. My false aspirations had failed, and I 
was looking hopelessly about for something to 
do that would save my pride. I must not 
accept just a mere job, and to escape that 
humiliation I became a teacher. It certainly 
was not a very creditable manner for a young 
man to enter a profession, to say nothing of 
the doubtful compliment of such an entry to 
the teaching profession. Such a confession, 



2 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

however, could be made by many of my asso- 
ciates of fifteen years ago. 

The situation that confronted me after decid- 
ing to become a teacher teviporarily , and two 
ways of meeting it, can be illustrated by the 
experiences of two young men who entered the 
teaching profession under similar conditions. 

A few years ago I made a trip to a neighboring 
state to visit a friend who was engaged in farm- 
ing. On a sunny July morning I arrived in an 
enterprising village a few miles from his home. 
While sitting on the porch of the hotel waiting 
for my friend, I met a man whom I had known 
years before. He recognized me. After stat- 
ing that he was president of the local board of 
education, he invited me to go out to their 
school building, which was being remodeled. 

One of the first rooms that we visited was the 
study hall. We found the janitor busily engaged 
in arranging the seats. He said he didn't know 
just which way the desks should face, as no one 
had told him, but he remembered that the 
pupils needed plenty of light, so he was facing 
the desks toward the side of the room which 
had the most windows. 

We then went to a room set apart for manual 
training work. There was one bench in evidence 
and Mr. told me that the board had not 



ENTERING THE TEACHING PROFESSION 6 

decided on the kind of benches or tools to buy, 
as the superintendent had not said in what 
grades the manual training work would be 
offered. *'In fact," he said, "the superintend- 
ent forgot to tell us anything about the build- 
ing equipment before he left for his vacation." 

We next visited a room which, he explained, 
might be used for a gymnasium ; but, since the 
superintendent had made no plans for using it, 
they were leaving it unfinished. 

We looked through some of the grade rooms 
which had been in use for ^ears. The seating 
was in bad condition, as httle or no care had 
been taken to keep the proper distance between 
the desks and the seats. Some of the third 
grade seats were out of alignment at least four 
inches. I pointed out the irregular distances 
between the seats and the desks and asked my 
guide if it were due to the different sizes of the 
children. He said, "I think so." I made no com- 
ment, as remarks were unnecessary. As we left 
the building he said, "I guess our superintendent 
is more interested in something else than he is 
in his job here." This statement proved true. 

Now for the second young man I have in 
mind. At one time it was customary for me to 
represent the state superintendent's office at 
county school board meetings that were held 



4 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

during the summer months in the different parts 
of one of the leading middle western states. On 
this particular trip, I was forced to stop over in 
a small town for about two hours, in order to 
make connection with the train that would take 
me to my destination. I was now really inter- 
ested in education and thought it would be well 
to visit the school building. The first thing to 
attract my attention was the well-kept lawn, 
with flower beds along the walk that led from the 
street to the building. This was somewhat 
unusual for a school yard. I noticed that the 
front door was open, and entered the building. 

After looking through the well-kept lower 
rooms, I ascended the stairs to see the high school 
portion of the building, which contained eight 
rooms. Upon reaching tlie second story landing, 
I heard some hammering in one of the rooms and 
proceeded to locate it. I soon found myself 
confronted by a 3^oung man about twenty-five 
years of age, whose face gave the expression of 
accomplishment. He enthusiastically told me 
that he was interested in the agricultural condi- 
tions in the surrounding districts, and was pre- 
paring boxes and equipment to offer a course in 
agriculture to the boys in and out of school 
who might wish to elect it. "The course," he 
said, "will be offered outside of the regular 



ENTERING THE TEACHING PROFESSION 5 

school hours, at a time that will be best suited 
to those who may wish to attend. I hope to 
make it an evening class, and that the fathers 
may also become interested." He told me about 
the short summer course he had taken at the 
state agricultural school and the help that he 
expected to get from the dean through booklets 
and suggestive lessons. 

He then invited me to go through the rooms 
of the building. When we reached the fifth and 
sixth grade room he said, "In this room I have 
corrected a condition that caused the failure of 
one or more teachers. When I was elected here 
a year ago, the president of the board told me 
they had been unfortunate for years in securing 
a satisfactory fifth and sixth grade teacher. 
The teachers had all failed because they were 
unable to maintain good order. I was asked to 
secure a teacher for the room, which I did, after 
careful investigation. It was less than three 
weeks, however, after the semester started, when 
the restlessness of the pupils became apparent. 
I was at a loss to know the source of the trouble 
until a bulletin from the state superintendent's 
office reached me, which gave suggestions as to 
the care and equipment of school grounds and 
buildings. I noticed in this bulletin that the 
correct distance between No. 3 seats is twelve 



6 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

inches. I thought immediately of our trouble- 
some fifth and sixth grade room. It took me but 
a few moments to discover that the distances 
between the seats in this room ranged from 
twelve to fifteen inches. I observed how the 
pupils were forced to sit on the edges of the seats 
in order to work at the desks and soon became 
tired and restless. The desks were changed 
immediately and the '* teacher problem" in this 
room was solved. That experience was a lesson 
to me, and since then I have given much time 
and attention to making the building attractive 
and comfortable for the teachers and pupils." 
It was quite evident, as we went from room to 
room, that he had put the lesson into practice. 

I shall never forget that young man. Three 
years later he was at the head of one of the largest 
consolidated high schools in the state, and when 
I met him at the meeting of the Department of 
Superintendence in Detroit in 1916 he told me 
that he had recently been appointed to take 
charge of one of the state agricultural schools. 

One man had made school teaching a job; 
the other had made it a profession. 



GETTING A POSITION 

Many young men and women enter the edu- 
cational field without giving due consideration 
to the type of work they are best fitted to do. 
A large percentage of the teacher failures belongs 
to this class. I am often interviewed by candi- 
dates who are seeking positions. When I ask 
them the kind of work they can do the best, I 
occasionally receive the reply, "In what grades 
do you have the greatest number of openings .f^" 
Others will say, "I am prepared to teach any of 
the grades. I have no preference, for I am as 
good in one as I am in another." In the case of 
some candidates the last statement is likely to 
be true. 

Boards of education usually grade applicants 
on three main points: personality, preparation, 
experience. The first two, every candidate who 
has completed a normal school or college course 
possesses to a greater or less degree. The third 
must be gained by actual work in teaching. 

A pleasing yet forceful personality is one of 
the leading factors in any teacher's success and 
it should be cultivated to the greatest possible 
degree. I feel that I was influenced in a large 

7 



8 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

measure to complete my high school education 
by the attractive personahty of the principal of 
our village school. His predecessor by harsh 
and dictatorial discipline had driven many boys 
out of school, and I came near being one of 
them. I found my ideal in the principal who 
succeeded him; and when I meet the inspira- 
tional teacher — the teacher with a personality 
that attracts young people — I can see the picture 
of that splendid young man who gave me the 
first real desire for an education. 

A teacher should always be desirous of making 
a good personal impression, yet I have seen 
young women seeking positions waiting at the 
big counter in the superintendent's office who 
were dressed more suitably for a social function 
than for a business call. Not long ago we were 
greatly in need of a commercial teacher. A 
young woman of otherwise good qualifications 
made application. Her attire was somewhat 
extreme and we decided it would be well to have 
her visit the principal of the school who needed 
the teacher. He reported that he could not use 
a teacher to instruct young men and women in 
commercial work who lacked one of the first 
requisites of business — "dress sense." 

The time is rapidly drawing to a close when 
mediocre preparation will be accepted in the 



GETTING A POSITION 9 

field of education. The teacher for elementary 
or high school work must first secure a good 
general education. Specializing in one or more 
subjects based upon a fragmentary educational 
foundation is the cause of many failures in the 
teaching profession. One of the chief weaknesses 
of such teachers has usually been found to be in 
English. In reading applications I have often 
noticed statements of this character given by 

one of the references: ''Mr. is good in his 

particular subject, but his use of Enghsh is so 
bad that I cannot recommend him for a position 
where he comes in contact daily with young 

people." ''I can recommend Miss for a 

position, as for example penmanship teaching, 
but that is the only thing she can do as her 
educational vision is very hmited." 

After a teacher has secured adequate general 
education and finds his "bent," he should then 
give particular attention and study to his chosen 
field. A teacher, however, should never cease to 
utilize every opportunity of broadening his 
general education. To do so means a narrowing 
of his viewpoint and the power of associating his 
special subject with the larger field of education. 

In filling out appHcation blanks teachers are 
sometimes careless in giving the information 
requested. Failure to do this often results in 



10 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

obtaining little or no consideration for the posi- 
tion desired. The references named should be 
responsible persons who know of the applicant's 
real qualifications and teaching work. It is 
always well for an applicant to secure the per- 
mission of the people chosen as references before 
using their names. A superintendent is much 
more likely to understand a teacher's motive for 
appl^dng elsewhere if he has been interviewed. 
When the motive is understood, he is in a better 
position to serve the applicant as well as the 
officials to whom the applicant has applied. 
The large majority of superintendents encourage 
their teachers to feel that they want them to 
improve professionally and are ready to assist 
them in doing so. 

Not long ago a young man came to see me 
about a promotion. I asked him in what line 
of work he was best fitted for advancement. He 
said he didn't know, but he wanted the job that 
paid the most money. 

It was interesting to note his idea of the teach- 
ing profession as contrasted with that of a young 
woman who had interviewed me a short time 
before concerning a possible opening in one of 
the high schools. She had taught for two years 
and realized the need of further specialization in 
her chosen field. To obtain this training, she 



GETTING A POSITION 11 

had spent a year's time and her savings in taking 
post-graduate work. I was interested in the 
frank statement that she gave concerning her 
teaching experience, which she confessed had 
been very ordinary in character. It was also 
pleasing to note the feeling of gratitude she had 
for those who had encouraged her to take the 
post-graduate training. 

We had no opening for her at that time, but I 
took her name and address in order that she 
might be considered for vacancies that might 
occur later. It so happened that a few days later 
a superintendent from a near-by town called to 
see me, and stated his need of a high school 
teacher who could teach mathematics, English, 
and history. It was quite a range of work, but 
I thought of my visitor of a few days before and 
made an appointment for her to meet this super- 
intendent. After the interview was over, she 
came in with tears in her eyes, to tell me that 
she had declined the offer. She said she was 
financially much in need of a position, but she 
could not again go into a classroom to teach 
work in a department that she was ill prepared 
to handle. A short time later one of our teachers 
resigned. The place was given to this young 
woman. She has proved to be one of our best 
classroom teachers, and has been an inspiration 



12 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

to the other instructors in her department. Self- 
examination and study had caused her to reahze 
the real strength, as well as the limitations, of 
her teaching power, and she made the most 
of it. 



BEFORE SCHOOL OPENS 

AFTER GETTING THE FIRST 

SUPERINTENDENCY 

Four years as a high school teacher had given 
me an opportunity to study the educational 
field. During that time I had made a practice 
of attending county, sectional, state, and, when- 
ever possible, national teachers' meetings, so 
that I might become acquainted with current 
school problems and with the men and women 
who were educational leaders. 

After considering carefully my possible qual- 
ifications for administrative work, I decided that 
to secure the superintendency of schools in a 
small town was the proper educational step for 
me to take. By an application through regular 
channels I succeeded in being elected to the cov- 
eted position and thereby gained what I was 
seeking — administrative opportunity. 

As the election had been given me without a 
personal application, I decided to invest eighteen 
dollars in a trip to my new field of labor during 
the spring vacation, so that I might get ac- 
quainted with the general school situation. The 
first important discovery that I made was that 

13 



14 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

the superintendent who was leaving had the ill 
will of a part of the community, but still had the 
loyal support of the teachers. My problem was to 
get his cooperation so that I could enter the work 
with as little friction as possible, and to obtain 
general knowledge of his plans of school adminis- 
tration. Both these factors were very essential to 
a succeeding superintendent. He gave me the 
cooperation and information most willingly — a 
service which I have never ceased to appreciate. 

I met the members of the board as individuals 
and was received very cordially by them. No 
doubt they were interested in seeing me and 
appreciated the interest I showed in getting 
acquainted with the work in advance. 

We moved to the town during the middle of 
August. As soon as we became settled, my at- 
tention was turned to the work of the new posi- 
tion. I had already given a close study to the 
grade and high school programs and course of 
study. Copies of the different courses of study 
offered in well-organized neighboring schools 
were also obtained in order that I might get a 
broader view of the school conditions in that 
section of the state. 

Ten days before the opening of school I placed 
a notice in the town paper inviting all the high 
school pupils who had attended school the year 



BEFORE SCHOOL OPENS 15 

before to call at the building and see me. A 
considerable number responded to this request, 
and through these pupils I received a large 
amount of valuable information. 

One of my first tasks was to prepare a high 
school program which would permit the pupils 
to carry the work that they should pursue in 
accordance with their chosen courses of study. 
We had only three teachers for the high school, 
including myself, which narrowed the range of 
subjects that might be offered each semester. 
Before attempting to make a program I com- 
piled a list of names of all the pupils who had 
attended high school the year before, with the 
lists of the subjects each pupil had completed. 
I then made a statement of the subjects that 
each pupil should take during the ensuing year. 
This gave the necessary information for making 
a program. When school opened each pupil 
was given a slip of paper showing the credits he 
had made to date and the subjects for which he 
was to register. By checking carefully, all con- 
flicts were eliminated and the first day of in- 
struction went off without delay or friction. 
This was worth much to the school and to me. 
Not all my time, however, was given to the 
making of a high school program. I prepared a 
tentative time schedule for the subjects in the 



16 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

elementary grades. This schedule, with a few 
minor changes, was afterward adopted by the 
grade teachers. 

The business side of the school was especially 
interesting to me. I believed then, and still 
believe, that a successful superintendent must 
be a close student of school costs. He must 
know and keep constantly in mind the amount 
of money available for school expenses and be 
able to recommend how that money can be 
expended to the best advantage. Too often the 
superintendent, by the nature of his tenure, is 
forced to plan only for the one year — a policy 
that is wasteful to the district and harmful to 
the general efficiency of the school. In order to 
secure a comprehensive idea of the school sup- 
plies on hand and what would be needed, I asked 
the janitor to assist me in making a complete 
check of all the books and supplies in the build- 
ing. This work proved very helpful to me later 
and was alone worth the two extra weeks I had 
given to my new position. 

With the school program made, supplies 
checked, and a good preliminary acquaintance 
with the board members and school conditions, 
I left the building on Friday evening preceding 
the opening of school feeling ready for the year's 
work to begin. 



TEACHERS' MEETINGS 

A teacher said to me recently, " I wish Mr. 

had remained at A as superintendent. We 

always had splendid teachers' meetings when he 
was with us." This comment interested me and 
I asked her the character of the meetings. She 
replied, "We had regular sectional meetings once 
a month and a general teachers' meeting every 
six weeks. The sectional meetings were for the 
purpose of giving and getting definite suggestions 
that would be helpful to the teachers of each 
individual group. The general meeting was 

always a happy gathering. Mr. would 

make his message cheerful and inspirational and 
we left those meetings with a spirit of wanting to 
do more than we had ever done before." What this 
young woman said is true. Teachers want 
meetings that give something tangible and definite 
to assist them in their work. 

The first teachers' meeting that I ever con- 
ducted was held about a library table where we 
could all look at one another and get the feeling 
of fellowship. A few definite points that the 
teachers needed to know on the first day of 
school were prepared and everything else was 

17 



18 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

left for subsequent meetings. It was my busi- 
ness to help the teachers get started and hghten 
a part of their regular work, rather than to add 
to their burden things unnecessary at that time. 

One of the best talks I ever heard deHvered by 
a superintendent was given to the new teachers 
a few years ago at the opening of the school year. 
He gave the teachers a hearty and sincere wel- 
come and told them nothing about what their 
duties were to be. He advised them to say hut 
little at first about what they had done at their 
former places, but urged them to '' listen and to 
learn our ways and then, with that knowledge in 
mind, to help by suggestions to make our schools 
better." How very differently is such a welcome 
received by teachers from that given by a super- 
intendent who feels that he must place before 
the teachers, at the first meeting, an outline in 
detail of what is expected throughout the year! 

The latter plan was unfortunately followed by 
a superintendent of my acquaintance. He went 
to his new position in ample time to get the 
school conditions well in hand and everything 
boded well for his future. His first teachers' 
meeting, however, ruined his chances of succeed- 
ing in that place. As one teacher reported, "He 
talked about everything in the educational cata- 
log that had nothing to do with the opening 



teachers' meetings 19 

weeks of school, and the teachers left the meeting 
with an adverse opinion concerning him that he 
was unable to change." The meetings he held 
throughout the year were of the same rambling 
type. The result was that he failed to secure the 
cooperation of his teachers and was asked to 
resign at the close of the year. This is an exam- 
ple of one who knew much — talked much — but 
gave little assistance of any constructive value 
to his teachers. 

As a superintendent I always found it profit- 
able, after the school year was well started, to 
hold sectional meetings for teachers of the lower 
grades, intermediate grades, grammar grades, 
and high school. Each section met every two 
weeks about a table and took up definite topics 
of the teachers' own choosing. The result was 
that our course of study and the methods of 
work were constantly being improved and the 
teachers were causing the improveinent. A general 
meeting for all the teachers was held from time 
to time when a good speaker could be secured or 
when I wished to present a phase of school work 
that should be understood by all. 

During the past year a series of meetings of 
the EngUsh teachers in one of our high schools 
demonstrated what can be accomplished if the 
topics for discussion are of a concrete nature. 



20 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

The teaching of the Enghsh classics has been 
somewhat varied in plan and the results accom- 
plished have not always been satisfactory. The 
English teachers realized this and suggested that 
we make the classics the subject of professional 
study for the year. The classics selected were: 
Lady of the Lake, Ivanhoe, Old Testament 
Stories, Silas Marner, Idylls of the King, Birds 
and Bees, Clive and Hastings, and Emerson's 
Essays. 

A teacher was chosen to discuss each of the 
classics according to the following outline: 

1. Spend thirty minutes in explaining the methods 
used and the results expected in the teaching of the classic. 

2. Provide a written outline which gives the main 
points a teacher should keep in mind in teaching the 
classic, copies of the outline to be provided for distribu- 
tion at the time of the meeting. 

S. Be prepared to make a typical assignment of a lesson 
in teaching the classic. 

4. State where supplementary material can be obtained 
to aid in teaching the classic. 

5. Answer questions. 

At the conclusion of the year the general ex- 
pression of the English teachers was that the 
meetings held were among the most profitable 



teachers' meetings 21 

professional gatherings that they had ever at- 
tended. The same definite plan could well be 
followed with other subjects. 

There is still another type of meeting of even 
greater importance to the superintendent and 
teachers. That meeting is the personal talk 
that the superintendent should have with each 
teacher, as often as possible, to enable him to 
learn how her work is getting on and the difii- 
culties she is meeting, and to welcome any sug- 
gestions she has to make. Such talks will give 
a superintendent a key to the real school situa- 
tion, and the teacher will appreciate his close, 
personal interest as shown by his suggestions and 
encouragement. 



MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD 

A few days previous to the opening of school 

at , a member of the school board dropped 

in one morning to see me. In the course of the 
conversation he said that the board would meet 
the second evening after the opening of school, 
and invited me to be present, if I cared to come. 
I thanked him for the invitation and assured 
him that I should be glad to attend the meeting. 

At the teachers' meeting on the Saturday 
before the school opened, I gave each teacher a 
blank, and asked for a report at the close of the 
first day of school, somewhat as follows: 

1. Number of pupils enrolled. 

2. Number of boys and number of girls and their 
respective ages. 

3. Number of pupils who were attending school for the 
first time. 

4. Supplies, if any, that were needed immediately. 

From this information, which was easily ob- 
tained by the teachers, I compiled a definite 
report which showed the school attendance the 
first day compared with the opening days of the 

22 



MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD 23 

two previous years; the grades having largest 
number of retarded pupils; and the extra sup- 
plies that would soon be needed. The report 
concluded with a brief statement of my apprecia- 
tion of the hearty cooperation that I had re- 
ceived from the teachers and pupils. I wrote 
the report very carefully and placed it in my 
pocket, hoping that it might be presented at the 
board meeting. 

The first board meeting meant much to me, 
for I was desirous of having the members feel 
that the success of the school depended very 
largely upon having the administrative head take 
an active part in the deliberations. I was present 
promptly at eight o'clock, the time set for the 
meeting, and the gentleman who had invited me 
explained to the other members how I happened 
to be present. Before the close of the meeting, 
the president of the board asked how I liked the 
place and how many I had found it necessary to 
"strap" the first day. I replied that I was well 
pleased with the school conditions, and that if 
there were no objection I would like to read a 
short report that might be of some interest to 
the board. There was no objection and I read 
the report. At the conclusion of the reading, one 
member of the board said, "By Jimminy, I have 
been on this board for seven years and that is the 



24 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

first time I have ever heard a report Hke that. 
I move, Mr. Chairman, that we thank the super- 
intendent for bringing in the report, that we file 
it with the secretary, and that we extend a stand- 
ing invitation to him to attend all our meetings." 
The vote in favor of the motion was unanimous. 
I went home that evening feeling that I had been 
well repaid for the time spent in compiling the 
report. 

From that time on I made a regular monthly 
report at the board meetings, which resulted in 
the extension of my authority. I was soon per- 
mitted to order supplies when needed, if the 
requisitions were approved by the secretary of 
the board. This was a great help to the school. 
It saved much delay, and we always knew what 
we could get and when we could expect it. The 
teachers often spoke of how much more definitely 
they could plan their work. Great care was exer- 
cised to purchase only such supplies as were 
needed, and we turned in many of the worn-out 
books as partial payment for new texts. Hence, 
at the end of the year the cost of school supplies 
had been cut nearly in half as compared with 
that of the previous year. It was a matter 
of pleasure to have the board realize that a 
superintendent might be a business man as well 
as an educator. 



MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD 25 

The next extension of authority was in regard 
to the employment of teachers. It had been the 
general policy of the board to engage and dis- 
charge teachers without consulting the superin- 
tendent. I anticipated this by making, at the 
end of the fourth month, a report as to the 
general efficiency of the teachers. Not a word 
was written in the report that the individual 
teacher concerned did not know. The members of 
the board expressed themselves as being much 
pleased with the teacher report idea and I was 
told that I would be asked to recommend the 
teachers when the time came for their election. 
This confidence of the board was a great inspira- 
tion to me, and helped me more than anything 
else to decide that I would remain a schoolmaster. 

My experience with the board in another com- 
munity is equally suggestive. 

During the five years previous to my super- 
intendency at this place, the board had voted 
against the introduction of manual training each 
time it came up for discussion. I was interested 
in having manual training introduced, but before 
making a formal request of the board, I decided 
to give the subject a very careful study. I spent 
a number of Saturdays going from town to town 
to inspect the manual training equipment and 
courses of study. At that time, manual training 



26 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

was very much in the experimental stage, and I 
found something new at each place. After set- 
thng upon the plan that I considered best suited 
to our accommodations, I arranged to have an 
evening meeting of the parents at the school 
building where an exhibit of the regular school 
work was displayed in each room. During the 
evening a talk was given on the topic of manual 
training by a neighboring superintendent, who 
was especially well qualified to discuss the sub- 
ject. I wanted to create a public sentiment in 
favor of manual training before asking the board 
to introduce it into the school system. 

At the next regular board meeting I presented 
a definite, written plan for the introduction of 
manual training, stating the space in the building 
for it, the grades that would be given the work, 
the number of times per week that it would be 
offered, and the cost of the benches and tools. 
Without a moment's hesitation, the leading mem- 
ber of the board said, "I have objected to the 
introduction of manual training for five years, 
not because I was opposed to the subject but ow- 
ing to the fact we never had a report made to us 
as to its cost, where it could be placed in the 
building, or the grades in which it would be 
offered. I move that the recommendation be 
adopted and the material purchased as desig- 



MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD 27 

nated in the report." The motion was adopted 
without a dissenting vote. 

I have had many other experiences with school 
boards similar to those cited above. School 
boards have not always purchased everything 
that I have requested, but I have found in the 
vast majority of cases that if the board has faith 
in the superintendent and feels that he knows 
what he wants, and what he will do with it after he 
gets it, he will not have much difficulty in obtain- 
ing what the school really needs. Too many 
superintendents go to board meetings with no 
definite report as to what is being done in the 
schools or what is really needed to make them 
eflficient. This inability or failure to assume 
leadership causes the board to lose confidence in 
the superintendent, and soon reacts detrimentally 
upon the school system. 



SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 

Not long ago a teacher asked me in what man- 
ner a person with executive abiHty has the best 
opportunity of showing it. I repUed, ** Ask your 
principal for the privilege of taking charge of 
some school activity.*' I dare say more prin- 
cipals and superintendents have been found 
through their ability to handle student activities 
than in any other way. Too often teachers who 
are really capable of doing executive work object 
to this extra duty and thereby miss the oppor- 
tunity of demonstrating their real capacity for 
leadership. They also lose at the same time 
one of the most fruitful and pleasant experi- 
ences in school work. I could give many illustra- 
tions of teachers who have " found themselves " 
through being associated with student enter- 
prises. 

Some superintendents feel that student activi- 
ties are a waste of time, and in a measure this is 
likely to be true unless the activities are carefully 
supervised. 

In one of the towns where I was superintend- 
ent, the school had had no student activities 
during the preceding year except football and 

28 



SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 29 

baseball. The teams had been coached by an 
outsider who was intensely interested in having 
a winning team but cared little for the value of 
athletics to the boys or to the school. With this 
condition in mind, I called the boys together and 
asked them how it would appeal to them if we 
formed an athletic association and had rules 
governing athletics similar to those followed in 
the larger towns in that vicinity. The boys 
agreed to the plan and elected a committee to 
prepare a set of rules that were to be submitted 
to them for approval. After a couple of meet- 
ings, the committee outlined the rules in accord- 
ance with the general high school athletic regu- 
lations, and they were formally adopted. 

The results of the formation of the association 
were threefold: First, good scholarship and de- 
portment were required of all pupils who partici- 
pated in athletics. Second, no money could be 
expended except with the approval of the faculty 
adviser. Third, the coaching of all athletic 
teams was placed under the direction of the 
superintendent. The last point did not neces- 
sarily eliminate the assistance that might be 
secured from outside coaches, provided they were 
made directly responsible to the school. 

The new plan for athletics worked splendidly 
with the exception of a few vigorous protests 



30 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

from boys who were debarred from playing on 
account of poor scholarship. Sufficient money 
was saved during the year to pay back the 
amount that had been advanced for athletic 
supplies and we were able to complete equip- 
ments for first and second football teams for the 
succeeding fall. The boys were proud of this 
accomplishment and when I occasionally hear 
from some of them, they often remark, "We 
put — • — on the map in athletics." 

The second activity needed was a "literary 
society." There had been no such organization 
in the school for five years. The janitor told me 
that the last literary society had ended in a 
"rough-house" and he hoped that was the end 
of it for all time. He further declared he was not 
in favor of coming to the building in the evening. 
I told him that we would attend to the opening 
and closing of the building if we started the or- 
ganization, and that I hoped we could get along 
without any rough-housing. 

The pupils in had little or no opportunity 

for group evening entertainment and heartily 
welcomed the suggestion of forming a literary 
society. Officers were elected with the under- 
standing that they would be given full charge 
of the organization, subject to the regulations of 
the faculty adviser. 



SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 31 

Meetings were held twice a month on Friday 
evenings at 7 :30. No program was arranged that 
required more than one and a half hours' time. 
It usually consisted of a debate, music, school 
news, and readings. The school auditorium held 
about 150 people and on many occasions the 
room would be crowded in order to accommodate 
those who wished to attend. Many of the 
parents made it an opportunity for meeting the 
teachers. It might be mentioned that the jani- 
tor never missed a meeting and was one of the 
most interested listeners. 

After getting the athletic association and 
literary society organized, I interviewed the 
editors of the two local papers relative to getting 
some space for school news. Both were glad to 
publish any information concerning the school 
that I might wish to furnish. Student editors 
were then elected for the different high school 
classes and the upper grade rooms. The news 
items were given to me on Wednesday of each 
week to be edited and sent to the papers. The 
school news had its immediate effect, and greater 
interest was taken in the school by the pupils 
and patrons. The literary programs which ap- 
peared in the papers every two weeks gave much 
prominence to that activity. The newspaper 
pubhshers were not slow to see the effect the 



32 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

school news had in increasing their subscriptions, 
so we all had reason to be pleased with the re- 
sults of the enterprise. 

There are many other valuable school organiza- 
tions that have not been mentioned. The 
number of activities should depend largely on 
the size of the school. The real purpose and 
local value of each activity should be given 
careful consideration before it is organized. 
Much harm can come from poorly supervised 
student enterprises or from a student organiza- 
tion that is permitted to take more of the time 
of pupils and teachers than is justified. The 
time for the preparation of plays should be 
limited and the work should be distributed 
among as many pupils as possible. The center- 
ing of effort on one debating team or on a first 
athletic team may help, or the showing that a 
school will make against competitors (although 
I doubt it), but such a plan will not develop the 
power and training within the school that should 
be desired. 

I quote the following from a report of a Seattle 
high school principal regarding extra-curricular 
activities : 

"The extra-curricular activities in a high 
school can be divided into two classes, the minor 
and the major activities. The minor activities 



SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 33 

are such as arise out of a desire to vitalize certain 
studies; the Science Club, the Short Story Club, 
the French Club are illustrations. For the most 
part these meet only once or twice a month for 
an afternoon program in which students who are 
interested participate themselves or occasionally 
invite some outsider to take part. Teachers desir- 
ing to stimulate greater interest in their special- 
ties are usually enthusiastic supporters of such 
clubs. The programs are informal, held after 
school and requiring comparatively little effort on 
the part of the teachers ; and those teachers who 
are alive to their work welcome the opportuni- 
ties which these small clubs offer in the way of 
stimulating interest and adding zest to studies. 
"Furthermore, these informal gatherings af- 
ford teachers and students an opportunity to 
meet outside the classroom aiad become better 
acquainted, which is always an important factor 
in successful school work. No teacher worthy 
of the name is averse to such organizations. It 
is difficult to find a single objectionable feature 
in them. Of course, they require some after- 
school time occasionally, and some planning on 
the part of the responsible adviser. No con- 
scientious teacher begrudges this extra time and 
effort and every enterprising teacher finds enough 
in them to compensate him liberally for his efforts. 



34 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

"The major activities such as class organiza- 
tions, glee clubs, dramatic clubs, athletic asso- 
ciations, boys' and girls' clubs, the school paper, 
the Senior Ball, the Junior Prom, and the inter- 
school debates offer more problems in the nature 
of care. They take in larger groups, are more 
formal or more pretentious, and demand a larger 
amount of time from teachers directing them. 
Not only that, but they also require a larger 
organizing capacity on the part of the advisers. 
Not all teachers can assume sponsorship for such 
organizations. 

"These activities are to the school what the 
Fourth of July parade, the Elks' big-brother 
picnic, and the Wayfarer are to the city. A city 
could get along without these activities and save 
itself a deal of hard work and expense. But 
enterprising men consider them worth ten times 
the effort and expense to the community as a 
whole. Some undesirable features follow in the 
wake of all these large city enterprises. Streets 
become congested, the police have to do double 
duty; there may be some accidents, some thefts, 
some people overworked. But in life unpleasant 
things are organically connected with the pleas- 
ant and if you would have the one you must have 
at least some of the other. 

"In like manner the major school activities 



SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 35 

benefit the entire school. They have the effect 
of welding the large school into something like 
a homogeneous unit. They develop school pride 
and school interest. A large school can no more 
get along without these and be a live institution 
than can a church without its young peoples' 
societies and programs, its men's club suppers, 
and its ladies' aid societies and be a live church 
organization. 

''But aside from welding the school into a 
unit of effort and purpose, these organizations, 
like the minor activities, serve to socialize the 
institution, to bring pupils and teachers together 
in a way that the classroom does not afford, to 
'bring out' students, to discover latent talents, 
and to spur students on to a maximum standard 
of excellence. 

"Aside from their socializing value, these 
organizations have an ethical purpose. Group 
interests are developed through them which 
teach pupils to work together for a common end. 
School enthusiasm and loyalty are developed 
which broaden in later years to interest in and 
loyalty to community and nation. 

"Teachers have not introduced these activi- 
ties as a rule. They came in response to a recog- 
nized need. No more can teachers put them out. 
They can, however, help to direct them into 



36 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

proper channels, supervise them, and keep them 
within proper bounds, all of which is a task 
worthy of a real teacher. Those instructors who 
can recall the turbulent days of the secret 
societies and cliques, of the unsupervised and un- 
managed athletics, have no doubt that progress 
has been made, and are ready to help to keep up 
the good work. 

*'The objectionable features of the major 
activities are naturally more pronounced. It is 
easy to make too much of such activities, to 
make them too pretentious, to consume too 
much time with them so that they sometimes 
interfere with the curricular work of the school. 
As a rule principals and teachers strive to keep 
these activities within reasonable bounds. Some- 
times they find themselves involved in a bigger 
undertaking than they planned for. However, 
unbounded American enthusiasm is in no small 
measure to blame for the overdoing of some of 
these activities. 

'* Organized athletics in all schools are here to 
stay. In fact a much larger participation is 
noticeable each year. Even grammar schools, 
churches, business houses, and other corpora- 
tions have their teams. Athletics, however, 
beneficial as they are, can be overdone and in 
some respects are being overdone. So with all 



SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 37 

the other extra-curricular activities. They must 
be properly directed and sanely managed. This 
sane management and proper direction must be 
encouraged by the public as a whole. 

*' Necessarily, too, such activities as have 
proved their worth will have to be provided for 
by the employment of teachers who are capable 
of handling them and wherever they are a large 
drain on the adviser's time and effort, that, too, 
must be taken care of. Improvements and ad- 
justments in looking after these activities are 
sure to come as the result of increased experience. 
That there is much room for improvement along 
these lines no one doubts. Let those who have 
experience and can offer constructive suggestions 
do so freely. Their suggestions will be gladly 
received, for nowhere in the high schools of the 
country has that problem been solved. 

"There is another form of organization com- 
monly associated with high school activities for 
which the high school management is in no wise 
responsible and over which it claims no juris- 
diction. It is the social and club dances man- 
aged entirely outside of the schools and chaper- 
oned or patronized by people not connected 
officially with the schools. These purely social 
activities are the most time-consuming and 
costly of all. Many of these formal and informal 



38 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

functions occur every week in the long dancing 
season, and because they are patronized by boys 
and girls of high school age are mistakenly called 
high school functions. Many parents are de- 
ceived into the belief that the schools are sponsor- 
ing these club dances. For these the schools 
assume no responsibility and should not be 
blamed." 



THE JANITOR— HIS RELATION TO THE 

SCHOOL 

A few months ago the vice-president of a large 
manufacturing estabKshment invited me to ac- 
company him and the president on a trip to 
their factories. Having heard that the president 
of the company was a self-made man, I was 
anxious to learn something about his plan of 
business administration. 

When we reached the office of the first plant, 
I was impressed with the cordial greeting the 
president gave to all the employees. Their 
attitude toward him was equally cordial. I 
recognized one of the clerks, who was a former 
school pupil, and made use of the acquaintance 
to ask some questions concerning the manage- 
ment of the factory. He said, "We feel like a 

family here. Mr. gets everyone from the 

errand boy to the manager to take a personal 
interest in the business." As I went about the 
big establishment with one of the workmen, I 
was impressed with the truthfulness of the state- 
ment. 

That evening when I was conversing with the 
president, I mentioned the fine cooperative spirit 

39 



40 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

that I had noticed among his men. He said in 
reply, '*I learned a long time ago as a day worker 
that in order to get the largest returns from 
your men, you must treat them all well and 
feed them well. Some managers forget, in these 
days of keen competition, that the lowest sal- 
aried employees are often the persons who make 
a business a success or a failure." I thought 
how simple was his formula of success, yet how 
few possess the inspirational power of leader- 
ship to follow it successfully. The same principle 
applies equally well to the school business. 

I shall never forget the August morning that 
I reported at one school building to begin my 
duties as superintendent. I had not seen the 
janitor, and proceeded to air the office, dust the 
chairs and desk, and get the place in readiness 
for work. The noise attracted the attention of 
the janitor, who finally appeared at the door, 
and after giving me a cold, casual inspection, 
introduced himself by saying, "I am the janitor," 
and left the room before I could engage him in 
conversation. I had heard of him before — how 
he considered the superintendent nothing more 
than a boss whom he must endure. It was no 
surprise to me, therefore, when he left the room 
without waiting to become acquainted or offer- 
ing to assist in the house cleaning. Later he 



THE JANITOR 41 

brought to the office some mail that had been 
accumulating during the summer. I thanked 
him and asked him to be seated. We talked 
over a few matters of interest and then made a 
trip through the building. I carefully avoided 
saying anything about the janitor's duties. Be- 
fore leaving that afternoon, he met me in the 
lower hall and said it was not customary to keep 
the office cleaned during the summer, but if I 
intended to be at the building again before the 
school opened, he would sweep it out. I told 
him that I had a few things that I should like 
to do during the two weeks' interval before the 
opening of school, and would probably be at the 
building daily, but I could easily look after the 
cleaning of the office during that time. He 
looked at me with some astonishment. I don't 
know whether it was due to the statement that 
I expected to have something to do at the 
building for two weeks before school opened, or 
because I was willing to clean the room. He 
said nothing and, with a "good evening," we 
parted at the end of the first day — with the 
question of cooperation or no cooperation some- 
what unsettled in the janitor's mind. 

When I reported for work the next morning 
the office had been thoroughly cleaned, which I 
considered quite a victory. As the janitor did 



42 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

not make his appearance during the forenoon, 
I went in search of him to inquire about some 
record books. He then proceeded to tell me 
what he thought of the teachers and superin- 
tendents in general and how I would do well if 
I could find anything, and showed me a closet 
in a teacher's room that was filled with a pile of 
books, supplies, and record sheets. I listened 
to what he had to say, and then suggested that 
it might be well if we put some shelves in the 
closets, and arranged all the books and supplies 
in an orderly manner before the teachers reported 
for work. I told him I was interested in what 
the closets contained, and if he would build 
some shelves, I would do the rest. He was sure 
that the shelves would do no good, and that his 
time and mine would be wasted. We said nothing 
more about it at that time, but the next day I 
started on a closet-cleaning crusade. I do not 
know when I have received greater value for the 
time spent. Two days of work gave me an educa- 
tional and business insight into the school that 
was invaluable. I learned the courses of study 
and the texts that were used in all of the grades. 
After three days' delay, the janitor decided that 
I had done a fairly good job, and that he would 
put in the shelves. I gave him some assistance 
and the books and supplies were listed, recorded. 



THE JANITOR 43 

and put into place. This work was appreciated 
by the teachers, even though we had entered 
their private domain, and, I dare say, gave them 
a feehng that good housekeeping would be ex- 
pected throughout the year. 

The janitor had now learned to know me fairly 
well. He found that we could work together, 
and by the time that school opened we were 
quite friendly. I was amused some months later 
when a teacher told me of the account the janitor 
had given her and the other teachers at the open- 
ing of school, of the new superintendent. 

When I reported at the end of the year the 
splendid services the janitor had rendered, the 
members of the board were so well pleased with 
the change in " Rosy " that they raised his 
salary for the enusing year. I am not sure but 
that the raise in salary pleased me more than 
it did him. 

The help that I received from this janitor 
throughout the year is no exception to the 
general rule. I do not wish to give the impres- 
sion, however, that all the janitors with whom 
I have worked have been efficient, but I do wish 
to say that I have received from each of them 
a much greater degree of cooperation when I 
caused him to feel that I was his co-worker and 
not his boss. 



HOW THE PRINCIPAL CAN HELP THE 

TEACHER 

The principals of our city schools have for 
two years been carrying on a series of monthly 
evening meetings which have proved to be 
highly interesting and instructive. The topics 
chosen have been along lines that directly af- 
fected the work they are doing. 

One of the meetings was devoted to the sub- 
ject ''How the Principal Can Help the Teacher." 
The topic was assigned to two principals, who 
prepared questionnaires which were sent to all 
the teachers in the city. The questions asked 
were along three lines: (1) What can the princi- 
pal do to help the teacher in a professional way? 
(2) What can the principal do to help the teacher 
in an administrative way? (3) What can the 
principal do in making his personal relationship 
to the teacher more effective? 

Replies were received from about fifty per 
cent of the teachers and were classified as 
follows. Percentages indicate the number of 
teachers giving the replies which they follow: 

44 



HOW PRINCIPAL CAN HELP TEACHER 45 

I. In a professional way. 

1. Assistance with the exceptional child, 37%. 

2. Interpretation of the course of study, 29%. 

3. As a professional leader, 20%. 

a. The recommendation of good professional 

literature, 18%. 

b. Sound advice, 11%. 

c. Assistance by teaching, 6%. 

II. In an administrative way. 

1. Furnishing supplies and equipment, 50%. 

2. Definite directions, 28%. 

3. Distribution of building load, 13%. 

4. Regime so planned that interruption of class- 

room instruction is minimized, 9%. 

5. Management of halls, basements, and play- 

grounds, and of difficult disciplinary cases, 
12%. 

6. Teachers' meetings, 5%. 

III. In personal relationships. 

1. The higher human qualities, 60%. 

2. Constructive criticism, 16%. 

3. Poise, 7%. 

4. Helping teachers in self -analysis and manner- 

isms, 1%. 

I shall discuss briefly some of the main sug- 
gestions made by the teachers. 

I. How the principal can help the teacher in 
a professional way. 



46 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

a. Assistance with the exceptional child. In 
these replies it will be noted that thirty-seven 
per cent of the teachers advocated assistance 
with the exceptional child. This gives further 
emphasis to the need of greater attention being 
given to the classification of pupils in the public 
schools. The use of tests and measurements has 
demonstrated the wide range of abilities that 
can usually be found in different pupils of the 
same grade. The teacher with from thirty -five 
to forty -five pupils must handle the work of her 
room more or less in groups, which often fails 
to reach the retarded or the accelerated pupil. 
Too often the teacher through her efforts to 
give extra assistance needed by the backward 
pupils gives them a disproportionate amount of 
time. The entire class suffers from such a pro- 
cedure. It is unfair to the ninety per cent of 
pupils of average ability to have one fourth of 
the teacher's time given to the other ten per 
cent of the pupils in the room. 

How to care for the special pupil is a difficult 
problem. No plan thus far advanced seems to 
meet it entirely. The ungraded room with an 
auxiliary teacher has proved to be fairly satis- 
factory in schools sufficiently large to justify 
such an arrangement. The principal in the 
smaller school as well as in the larger must give 



HOW PRINCIPAL CAN HELP TEACHER 47 

greater attention to the use of intelligence tests 
as an aid in classifying the pupils so that they 
can be better graded according to their ability. 
No teacher should be required to keep a pupil 
in her room indefinitely who is not mentally 
able to do the work or who is a constant dis- 
turber. The ''ninety and nine" who "can do" 
are more important to save than the one lost 
sheep who may never be able "to do" if saved. 

b. Interpretation of the course of study. 
Twenty-nine per cent of the teachers called 
attention to the need of greater assistance in 
interpreting the course of study. I am not sur- 
prised to get this expression from the teachers, 
as they are sometimes given at the opening of 
the term a new course of study with little or no 
explanation of the plan back of it or how it is to 
be administered. I question if any course of 
study entirely new in content should be put into 
operation until the teachers have had at least a 
semester's time to study it thoroughly and get 
explanations from those who have been instru- 
mental in working it out. 

A good illustration of the difficulty in getting 
satisfactory results from plans new to the teach- 
ers has been demonstrated by some of the results 
obtained with the problem and project methods. 
It is very easy for a supervisor to pick out some 



48 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

good problems and illustrate them before the 
teachers and thus leave the impression that all 
topics can be handled in a similar manner. The 
teacher goes back to her classroom and attempts 
to follow the directions given. Some of the 
teachers have gone so far as to attempt to make 
every lesson in geography or history a problem 
lesson regardless of the nature of the topics to 
be covered or the reference material or textbook 
assistance that is available. The results from 
such a procedure are certain to lead to a poorly 
connected, piecemeal knowledge by the pupil 
of the subject as a whole. A semester of practi- 
cal study of the problem method for any given 
subject before introducing it would give the 
teachers, and I dare say the supervisors, a better 
knowledge of what can reasonably be expected 
to be accomplished. It is this failure to be able 
to reach that visionary goal that discourages 
teachers and causes them to lose confidence in 
many methods that are excellent in themselves 
if they are used with moderation and sense. 

After a course of study has been in operation 
for a few months it is well to ask some of the 
teachers who have been the most successful in 
getting satisfactory results to explain what they 
have done and how they have done it. Small 
groups can then discuss such a report with much 



HOW PRINCIPAL CAN HELP TEACHER 49 

profit to all. I have never experienced any 
difficulty in getting large attendance at a teach- 
ers' meeting if the program provided concrete 
help for the group in the work they were doing. 
This is indeed a rich field for the principal to 
cultivate. 

Supplementary books are often purchased and 
sent to the teachers as a means of interpretation 
of a subject. They, too, need explanation and 
discussion. 

c. As a professional leader. The desire for 
professional leadership is coupled with the need 
of interpretation of the course of study. There 
is probably no more damaging contribution to 
the teaching profession than the presence now 
and then of school executives who give but little, 
if any, of their time to the professional inspira- 
tion of the teacher. The teachers in a building 
with such a principal in charge soon lose their 
spirit of wanting to serve and become a part of a 
routine business organization. The lack of hold- 
ing power of such a school is soon apparent. 

Some principals and department heads feel 
that they make a sufficient contribution pro- 
fessionally when they say to a new teacher, 
"I am glad you are to be with us. If you have 
any trouble, come and see me." This is one of 
the best invitations one could possibly give to 



50 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

get a teacher to remain away. The best evi- 
dence that a principal can show that he wishes 
to help the teacher is really to help her, and, 
best of all, to find means to help her without 
being asked. 

Not long ago a teacher who wished a transfer 

came to see me. He said, "I have been in 

building for five years, during which time I can- 
not recall having received any professional 
suggestion from the head of the department. 
He sees that I have ample supplies and text- 
books, but that is merely routine work. What 
I need is to be encouraged and shown how I can 
grow." I wonder how many teachers have had 
a similar experience. 

Two years ago I visited an algebra teacher 
who happened to be assigned to a portable build- 
ing. He had five classes daily in the same 
subject. I had known this teacher for a number 
of years and had regarded him as an average 
instructor. On this visit I said, "You are out 
here by yourself and I would like to see what 
kind of record your pupils can make at the end 
of the year in the competitive tests which will 
be given to the algebra pupils in all the city high 
schools." His face brightened and he said,'* All 
right, I welcome the invitation." Six months 
later the test was given and his five classes of 



HOW PRINCIPAL CAN HELP TEACHER 51 

pupils made more A and B grades than all the 
algebra pupils combined in any other one build- 
ing of the city. To-day, this teacher is easily one 
of our best instructors in mathematics, and he 
has recently prepared suggestions as to the 
teaching of mathematics by the supervised study 
method which have proved to be of great as- 
sistance to the other teachers. He simply caught 
the spirit; his pupils also caught it, and the 
results were assured. It did not require pro- 
fessional suggestion to arouse this teacher, but 
rather a real chance of recognition to show what 
he could do. 

II. In an administrative way. 

a. Furnishing supplies and equipment. One 
half of the teachers have apparently suffered 
from the delay that so often occurs when school 
material is not ready when it is needed. Some- 
times conditions arise due to the shifting of 
pupils or other unforeseen difficulties which make 
a delay in the furnishing of supplies and equip- 
ment unavoidable. In the large majority of cases, 
however, there is no excuse for the delay other 
than "Order too late," "Board held up requisi- 
tions for investigation," "Copy of outlines not 
ready to be printed," etc. 

No efficient business establishment would 



52 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

make a practice of permitting highly paid help 
to remain idle a part of the time waiting for 
necessary material. In the schools the loss is 
much greater than in business because it affects 
the work of the pupils, who form bad habits 
early in the semester which are hard to correct 
later on. 

Some principals make a practice of keeping 
their stock rooms in perfect order. Pupils often 
assist in this work. This makes it possible to 
keep a close check on where material can be 
found and how soon the supply will be exhausted. 
Such a spirit of order is contagious and teachers 
and pupils are unconsciously encouraged to give 
greater attention to the proper use of school 
material. Thousands of dollars are saved an- 
nually in some school systems having free text- 
books and supplies by the careful checking and 
transferring of the supplies. We must not for- 
get that some of the most valuable lessons for 
the girls and boys come from experiences gained 
in other avenues than those learned from text- 
books. 

b. Definite directions. The lack of a well- 
defined plan of administration is called to the 
attention of the principal by one third of the 
teaching force. It is sometimes astonishing to 
note how little some of us practice what we 



HOW PRINCIPAL CAN HELP TEACHER 53 

preach to the pupils and the teachers about the 
need of being punctual and definite in the work 
to be done. 

Not long ago, a questionnaire was sent to the 
teachers of the high schools asking for sugges- 
tions for the handling of school activities. 
One of the outstanding replies was — **make a 
definite schedule for activity needs and as- 
semblies." One teacher stated it as follows: 
"I will plan my work with the classes for to- 
morrow with the expectation of having a full 
period for its recitation and development. On 
the following day, without a moment's notice, 
the bell is likely to ring for an assembly which 
will mean a shortening of all the forenoon periods 
about one half. My plan of work for the day is 
practically ruined and the worth of the period 
to the class is lost." While it is not always 
possible to foretell the time of an assembly or 
school meeting, it is generally known by the 
principal a day or more in advance. A knowl- 
edge of the schedule of such meetings on the 
part of all the teachers a month in advance would 
often save much confusion and embarrassment. 
Rules covering tardiness, the issuance of report 
cards, school discipline, and general building 
routine should be definitely understood by all. 
Much of the friction between teachers often 



54 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

arises from lack of well-understood building rules 
or of enforcement of rules that have been made. 

III. In personal relationships. 

a. The higher human qualities. The last item 
of the three main suggestions by the teach- 
ers was the subject of the greatest unanimity 
of opinion. 

The human element is one of the greatest 
prerequisites to successful leadership. Time and 
again I have heard teachers say, "I do not want 

to ask Mr. . May I take the matter up 

with Mr. , for he is much more approach- 
able .f^" The irate parent is usually quickly 
calmed when he is met with a feeling of friendly 
welcome that puts him at ease. It is hard for the 
majority of people to tell their troubles to any- 
one, much more so to tell them to a superior in 
authority who has an outward coat of formality 
that is difficult to penetrate. 

Too much of the principal's time is often given 
to looking for the difficulties that arise in the 
administration of a school with a view to checking 
them. This naturally gives the teacher the 
impression that such a principal is always look- 
ing for trouble, and he is not, as a rule, a welcome 
visitor. The principal should endeavor to find 
something the teacher is doing that is worth 



HOW PRINCIPAL CAN HELP TEACHER 55 

while and to give it the proper recognition. No 
principal, however, can see what to commend 
unless he keeps closely in touch at all times with 
the work the teachers are doing. Idle flattery 
is far worse than no praise at all. 

The kind word or a pleasant "good morning" 
sincerely spoken by the teacher has always meant 
much to me. Why should not a similar expres- 
sion on the part of the principal be equally re- 
freshing to her? It is one of the biggest dividend- 
paying investments a principal can make. Try 
it! 



THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY 

Never before in the history of America has the 
pubhe school been such an important factor in 
the Kfe of the child. In fact, to some extent it 
has become too great a factor and the home has 
permitted or even forced the school to take over 
certain responsibilities that cannot well be 
delegated. 

The high school enrollment is gaining at a 
tremendous pace and with the rapid growth 
comes the problem of greater diversity of student 
ability to serve. Twenty years ago the best of 
the students in the elementary schools continued 
their education in the high school. This made a 
much simpler problem in the providing of 
courses of study and equipment. To-day, how- 
ever, many of the children who enter the high 
schools are able to pursue only such subjects as 
will fit them for industrial or commercial occupa- 
tions. Unless a reasonable amount of such work 
is provided, these pupils soon drop out of school 
and add to the large army of untrained workers. 

The adjusting of boys and girls to proper 
vocations is one of the big problems confronting 
the home and the school. The patron often fails 

56 



THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY 57 

to understand what the school has to offer and 
the pupil, with httle or no definite knowledge as 
to what he is best fitted to do, struggles along 
hoping that through the aid of the school he may 
find himself. In fact, this country's future de- 
pends to a considerable degree upon the educa- 
tional adjustment that can be made for its boys 
and girls during the upper grade and high school 
period of their Kves. It is no wonder, then, that 
vocational guidance departments, trade schools, 
part-time schools, and continuation schools have 
come into prominence during the last decade. 

One of the first things to be done in any com- 
munity is to study the industrial and commercial 
conditions in that locahty and then attempt to 
offer such special subjects as the district can 
afford. The students must be encouraged to 
learn what the requirements are for certain vo- 
cations. Some schools have provided special 
courses of study along vocational lines, while 
others use student club organizations as a means 
of giving information to the pupils. 

A good example of the club organization was 
worked out recently in one of our high schools. 
The eight hundred high school boys in attend- 
ance were divided into three groups. One group 
consisted of those interested in the study of 
opportunities offered by the different professions; 



58 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

the second group, those interested in commercial 
work; and the third group, those who wished to 
enter the industrial and engineering field. One 
of these groups met each week on Tuesday morn- 
ing, forty-five minutes before the opening of 
school. An outside speaker, actually engaged in 
one of the vocations, would address the meeting 
and answer questions. Special provision was 
made to see that the speaker gave the informa- 
tion needed, and he was asked to answer the 
following questions: 

1. How did you happen to enter the profession? 

2. What are the advantages that you have experienced 
in your profession? 

3. What are the disadvantages that you have expe- 
rienced in your profession? 

4. What is the remuneration in your profession? 

5. If you were to attend high school again, to what 
subjects would you give special attention in order to make 
yourself better fitted for your profession? 

The interest that was created by these meet- 
ings and the value of the work accomplished 
went beyond the expectations of the principal. 
Many of the pupils changed their programs for 
the succeeding term so that' they might select 
subjects that would fit them better for the voca- 
tions they expected to follow. Other pupils 



THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY 59 

stated that it was through what they had learned 
at the meetings they had decided to change the 
vocation they had previously had in mind. 

Many of the student difficulties are due to the 
unfamiliarity of the parent with what the school 
has to offer. I recall one instance in which a 
gentleman called at the office and openly criti- 
cized the high school for not offering work 
whereby his daughter could learn something that 
would be useful to her in earning a living. I 
listened to his complaint, and then asked him if 
he would spend five minutes in going about the 
building with me. He refused at first to do so 
but finally consented to my request. I took him 
to the sewing rooms, the cooking rooms, the art 
rooms, and finally to the typewriting and office- 
practice rooms. He was astonished to see that 
the very subjects he was criticizing the schools 
for not offering were available at any time for his 
daughter if she wished to take them. He apolo- 
gized for his attack on the school and assured me 
that henceforth he would give attention to the 
work his daughter pursued in school. 

A few years ago the mayor of the city was 
invited to address the pupils at an assembly. At 
the conclu^ioiiL of the pr/>gram I asked him to 
spend a few niinutes viewing the work offered in 
the school. After some hesitation he accepted 



60 LEARNING TO BE A SCHOOLMASTER 

the invitation, and before he left the building he 
said, *'I am ashamed to say it, but I have lived 
in this city for twenty years and this is the first 
time that I have had any idea of the work that 
our high schools are offering. I feel very much 
better prepared now to champion the cause of 
education." 

It is easy for some patrons to feel that a high 
school education is useless because now and then 
they see a boy or girl fail in a position who had 
previously had some high school training. They 
forget that tlie high school of to-day is called upon 
to serve a much more diversified group of pupils 
than ever before, and it is not always able to 
determine in every case just the type of work 
that the boy or girl needs in order to make a 
success in life. 

The schools are making strenuous efforts to 
give each individual pupil a chance to adjust 
himself to a vocation. The junior high school 
organization, classification of pupils according to 
abihty, tests and measurements, and vocational 
guidance are all means to this end. The school- 
master of tomorrow must realize that there is 
much good in the education of the past, fcut that 
the changing conditions in our social and indus- 
trial life must be met with similar readjustments 
in the program of education. 



021 363 453 7 



